Not While I'm Around
by jayer
Summary: The team is on the plane home from Miami. A moment of compassion leads to Reid finding out something new about Ashley.  Post Corazon


I can't figure out how they did it.

I am totally wired but they are zonked out. Well not Hotch. He's shuffling through papers, probably half way done with his report. Prentiss said he has a kid at home so no shock. He wants to be able to get home quick. Hopefully in time to tuck his son in bed.

And Rossi has given in to the power of modern technology. Watching some old movie with Frank Sinatra, or is that Fred Astaire, I don't really know which is which. Garcia must have put some stuff on there.

But the others are totally zonked out. Dead to the world. Especially Reid. He's looked kind of out of it the last couple of days. Fighting that flu bug that's going around or something. Probably hasn't sleep so great lately, which might explain how the heck he could pass out sitting up. You've got to be pretty tired to pull that one.

But not me. I'm wasted and yet I can't sleep. I tried reading but that was a no go. I just can't focus. I've read the same line at least four times. I give up.

Maybe it's not a bad thing. If I fall asleep now I'll just have trouble getting back to sleep when I get home. So this is a good thing. That's how I have to look at it.

The smell of Hotch's coffee drifts over and I suddenly want some. Maybe that will wake me up enough that I can read my book.

As I slip past the sofa I can't help pausing. Okay I admit it, Dr Reid is pretty attractive in a non conventional way. Most of the girls I know would say he's too skinny, scrawny even. And they would not go for the brains or his totally skittish shyness. They like their boys built and brash. But there's something. In the eyes. It's mesmerizing.

Standing there, I can't help noticing that he's shaking. Not a shock, it's chilly in the cabin and he's all skin and bones. Prentiss told me there were a couple of blankets in the cabinet.

I pull one out and try to drape it over Reid as gently as I can. Just as I'm turning away to get my coffee I see his eyes open.

"Hey." He says sleepily.

"Sorry." I cringe. "I didn't mean to wake you up. But you were shivering."

"It's okay. I wake up pretty easy." He pulls the blanket tighter. "Thanks for the blanket."

"Sure."

"Can I ask you something?" Reid pulled his legs up, making room for me on the sofa.

I sat down. "Yeah." I have no idea what he could want to know.

"What was the song?"

"The song?"

"You were humming. I was wondering what song it was."

"I didn't even realize I was doing it."

"It was something like" Reid hummed a few notes. I recognized the tuned right away.

"It's from Sweeney Todd."

"That's the one about the murdering barber whose lover bakes his victims into pies, right?"

"Something like that." I laugh. "I had a foster mother that loved show tunes. She was always playing CDs or singing stuff from all kinds of musicals. Phantom, Les Miz, Secret Garden. They get stuck in your head. Sometimes when I think of her I start humming and don't even know I'm doing it. Must be what woke you up." I'm sure I'm blushing. Fortunately it's rather dark in this end of the cabin so Reid can't see it.

"So what's the song?" Reid probed again. "It sounded nice."

"It's called 'Not while I'm around'. It's this kid that has a crush on Mrs Lovett the landlady. Talking about how he won't ever let anyone hurt her. My mom would sing it like a sort of lullaby. Weird I know."

Reid shook his head. "It's a nice thought. Like being on the team. We've never really said it, or sung it, but we know that there's this unspoken thing."

"You mean like when the professor had you. You knew that the rest of us would be trying to figure out where you were."

"Exactly." Reid sighed and closed his eyes. He's drifting off.

"Go back to sleep." I get up, letting Reid stretch out for real. I'm pouring my coffee when I noticed that the blanket has fallen. He stirs as I tuck it back around him.

The noise from the engines drowns out my voice as I kneel down next to him and whisper in his ear.

"No one's gonna hurt you,

no one's gonna dare

Others can desert you,

Not to worry, whistle, I'll be there

Demons will charm you with a smile for a while

But in time

No one's gonna harm you

Not while I'm around"


End file.
